Nicholls Colonels Women’s Basketball announces 2019-20 schedule

FULL SCHEDULE

THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University women’s basketball program and head coach DoBee Plaisance have released the schedule dates and opponents for the 2019-20 season.

The schedule features 13 home games at Stopher Gymnasium and a rigorous nonconference slate. The Colonels will prepare for their Southland Conference contests with matchups against two NCAA Tournament teams – Indiana and Rice, a 24-win TCU squad and a trip to Baton Rouge to face LSU for the third straight season.

“Our nonconference schedule has always been designed to do two things – challenge and prepare. It challenges us to see how we matchup against some of the Power 5 and bigger conferences, as well as prepares us for our main season – the Southland Conference,” said Coach Plaisance, who looks to extend her all-time wins record heading into her 11th season. “I’m excited about the group of veterans we have coming back, and I feel like we’re up for the challenge in what I consider a tough nonconference schedule.”

The daunting slate begins right away with a trip to Rice on Nov. 5 for the season opener. The Owls are coming off a 28-win campaign after going undefeated in Conference USA, and they also defeated three Southland schools last year. Rice represented C-USA in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 12 seed.

The next two games are also against programs coming off postseason appearances. On Nov. 10, Nicholls will play at Indiana which won 21 games and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Four days later, the Colonels head back to Texas for a matchup against TCU. The Horned Frogs claimed 24 wins in 2018-19 and reached the semifinals of the WNIT.

Nicholls starts its home schedule on Nov. 18 against Paul Quinn College. The Colonels were dominant in Stopher Gymnasium last season with a program-record 11 wins on its own floor, and the lone loss was a one-point decision. The opener will be an 11:30 a.m. contest and will serve as the annual Kid’s Day Game.

“Anytime we can get the community rallying behind what we do, it’s a great day. But for me, it’s endearing because I love the babies,” Plaisance said. “It is so exciting to hear their energy and we all could learn from their innocence and enthusiasm. I love the atmosphere it creates and I just enjoy being around our youth. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.”

The next game will be at home against SUNO on Nov. 25. Nicholls then hits the road for its next three, starting with a Thanksgiving tournament in Jacksonville, Florida. The Colonels will take on Jacksonville University and North Florida on the 29th and 30th, respectively.

The final two nonconference games will pit the Colonels against in-state programs LSU and ULM. Nicholls takes on the Lady Tigers of LSU on Dec. 3 and following exams, hosts ULM on Dec. 13 for its final out-of-league contest. Nicholls defeated the Warhawks in Monroe last season, 55-54, after trailing by 23 points in the second half.

Southland Conference play begins before the holiday break with two additional contests for a 20-game schedule. The Colonels open league play on the road at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Dec. 18, then host Abilene Christian on Dec. 21.

The Southland Conference Tournament will be held in Katy, Texas, starting on March 12. Nicholls has made the postseason tournament eight consecutive times, which is a program record. Plaisance’s squad also set two records last season with its first 20-win campaign in team history and the most conference wins in a single season (14).

Nicholls participated in the national postseason the last two seasons, playing in the WBI in 2019 after appearing in the NCAA Tournament in ‘18 for the first time in program history.

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